Fast Track for Immigrant Doctors

A new program will give 38 doctors from the CIS a fast track to absorption in the Israeli workplace.

Maayana Miskin, 03/09/09 22:40 | updated: 12:09

The new arrivals at Thursday's ceremony

Israel news photo: (file)

The Jewish Agency and Ministry of Immigrant Absorption launched a program on Thursday that aims to give doctors a fast track to absorption in the Israeli workplace. The first 38 doctors to take part in the program have already arrived in Israel.

Program directors hope that the doctors, who hail from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), will be integrated in the Israeli workforce approximately one year from making aliyah (immigration). During their first year in the country, the new immigrants will learn Hebrew and study for their Israeli medical licenses. They will live in the Beit Canada absorption center in Ashdod.

The official launch of the new initiative took place in Ashdod. The ceremony was attended by Jewish Agency head Natan Sharansky, Ashdod Mayor Yechiel Lasri, and Mnister of Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver.

The Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and Jewish Agency hope to successfully extend the program to include doctors from around the world. The two bodies are currently focusing on immigrants from the CIS and from Central and South America.

The goal is to help as many immigrant doctors as possible to pass the Israeli licensing test and to successfully integrate into Israeli society and the Israeli workplace. By doing so, officials hope to help both the new immigrants and Israeli society, which is facing a shortage of doctors and other medical professionals.

"In these days, as we face a shortage of doctors, we must take advantage of the amazing human resource we have by training as many immigrant doctors as possible,” Landver explained. She expressed gratitude to the new immigrants taking part in the program, saying, “Thank you for choosing to return to the land of your forefathers, and for the future, when you will integrate into the healthcare system and save many lives.”

Sharansky spoke of the thousands of Israeli doctors who were born in the former Soviet Union. “These doctors are today among the most prominent in Israel,” he said. “We are confident that each of you will integrate successfully in Israel's hospitals as well, and that you will have much to give to our healthcare system. Good luck.”